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A freelance reporter, Ibrahim Hamza Mohammed has regained his freedom after spending 10-days at the medium-security custodian centre, Lafia following the intervention of the International Press Institute, IPI.
Operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command had arrested Mohammed over a report published on First News, a Lagos-based online newspaper where he claimed ₦40 million was stolen from Governor Abdullahi Sule’s bedroom.
The freelance journalist was charged by the Police for alleged violation of Cybercrime Act and remanded in prison pending the commencement of trial.
10-days however after his remand, a Nasarawa State High Court sitting in Doma granted him bail.
The Nigerian National Committee of IPI confirmed his release from prison in a statement issued on Saturday by its Legal Adviser/Chairman, Advocacy Committee, Tobi Soniyi.
“He will remain on bail till 13 May when the police are expected to withdraw the charges against him and discontinue the trial.
“To secure his release, IPI Nigeria’s delegation led by the President, Musikilu Mojeed, visited Lafia on 6 May, meeting with top officials of the Nasarawa State government, including Governor Sule, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Labaran Shuaibu Magaji and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Addra.
“The delegation also visited and conferred with the journalist, Mr Mohammed, in prison,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the management of First News has apologised to Governor Sule over the story, saying it has since found “that the said story lacked any form of truth in it and that the reporter merely concocted the story in his bid to pursue a personal vendetta against the governor”.
“While tendering an unreserved apology to the Nasarawa State Governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, we wish to assure him that such will not repeat itself ever again,” the newspaper added.
Similarly, the IPI Nigeria has admonished “Nigerian journalists to always uphold the ethics of their profession, desist from publishing false news, and continue to observe a high degree of standard in their practice”.